Massive Mudslide Falls in West Fjords

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Massive Mudslide Falls in West Fjords

A large landslide fell from the mountain Árnesfjall in Árneshreppur, the northeastern West Fjords, and down to Hvalvík cove yesterday afternoon. Farmer at Melar Björn Torfason witnessed the event and described it as if the mountain had exploded.

Björn told local news website litlihjalli.is that the mudslide began with rocks falling down the mountain slope before noon and then escalated until the mud came crashing down between 1 and 2 pm. Six sheep had been grazing where the mudslide fell but haven’t been seen since.

The mudslide reached the road in Hvalvík but didn’t fall into the ocean. Heavy rain is believed to have caused the landslide. Rocks kept falling some time after the landslide and so the Icelandic Road Administration waited several hours before reopening the road.